Coming into the 2023 season, most didn't expect the Arizona Diamondbacks to compete for a spot in the MLB Playoffs.
After all, over the last two years, Torey Lovullo & Co. had lost 198 games. Against all odds, however, the Diamondbacks scratched and clawed their way into the postseason, earning the sixth and final slot on the National League side of the bracket with an 84-78 record.
But even once they were into the playoffs, the Diamondbacks weren't considered a genuine threat. Once again, though, Arizona bucked the odds, sweeping both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And in defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in an epic seven-game set in the National League Championship Series, the Diamondbacks reached the World Series for the first time since winning the franchise's lone championship in 2001.
After splitting the first two games of the 2023 Fall Classic with the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, the Diamondbacks will now host the next three. But despite the team's success, these three games may actually be the last three that several members of the roster play at Chase Field in an Arizona uniform.
The Diamondbacks only have a handful of soon-to-be free agents, most of whom were instrumental in helping the team reach this point. Here's a look at three Diamondbacks whose final three games in an Arizona uniform may just be Games 3, 4, and 5 of the 2023 World Series.
Evan Longoria, 3B
Evan Longoria has been one of the great stories of this 2023 MLB postseason. And no matter how the World Series plays out, he's already set a record as it's been 15 years between his first appearance in the Fall Classic with Tampa Bay and this one, the longest stretch for any position player in MLB history.
If the Diamondbacks do indeed win a second World Series title, one would think the 38-year-old would just walk off into the sunset and retire on top.
But even if they don't, this could very well be Longoria's last ride anyway. The four-time All-Star was already contemplating retirement before this season began, and one wouldn't think Arizona would be willing to bring him back for a second season.
Longoria slashed just .223/.295/.422 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI in 74 games during the regular season, and while he's been better in the playoffs, it just doesn't seem realistic.
Tommy Pham, OF/DH
While there's always a chance that Tommy Pham could re-sign with the Diamondbacks once MLB free agency begins, it's more likely that he was simply a three-month rental.
But Arizona has undoubtedly benefited from his veteran presence in the lineup, especially during this run to the World Series.
Acquired by Arizona in a trade-deadline deal with the New York Mets, the 35-year-old was solid enough down the stretch in the regular season, slashing .241/.304/.415 in 50 games.
And while he's struggled at times in the playoffs, Pham hit .429 with an OPS of 1.071 in the sweep of the Dodgers and is hitting .556 with a 1.667 OPS through the first two games of the World Series, including a 4-for-4 performance during the Diamondbacks' Game 2 victory.
The big issue, as it is with most free agents, could be the price. Ahead of the 2023 season, Pham signed a one-year deal with the Mets for $6 million. But given what Pham is doing in the World Series, Spotrac has his market value for 2024 at $8.353 million.
And while big-market teams like the Braves, Dodgers, or Yankees might be willing to go that high, the Diamondbacks likely wouldn't.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF/INF
When Arizona acquired Lourdes Gurriel Jr. last December in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, the franchise had to know it might only have him for one season.
And given what Gurriel did for the Diamondbacks in 2023, that now almost seems guaranteed, as he may have priced himself out of the desert.
Playing the final season of the seven-year deal he signed with the Blue Jays ahead of the 2017 season, Gurriel slashed .261/.309/.463 with a career-high 24 home runs and 82 RBI in 145 regular-season games. Not bad for a guy making just $5.4 million.
And he's also performed well during the postseason. After struggling a bit against the Brewers, the 30-year-old has played much better baseball in the Diamondbacks' last three series. Gurriel hit .308 with a .923 OPS against the Dodgers, hit .259 with a .730 OPS against the Phillies, and is hitting .375 with an .819 OPS in the World Series against the Rangers.
While many Arizona fans will want him back for 2024 and beyond, management may not be willing to pay the $14-$15 million per year (perhaps more) it will take to make that happen.
In addition, it seems as if Arizona is seeing Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas as long-term options in the outfield. You've also got guys like Pavin Smith, Jake McCarthy, Dominic Fletcher, and prospect A.J. Vukovich in the mix.
So, again, while it's possible the Diamondbacks could bring Gurriel back, it seems more likely that they'll let someone else pay him this winter.
